Interactive input systems that allow users to inject input (e.g. digital ink, mouse events, etc.) into an application program using an active pointer (e.g. a pointer that emits light, sound or other signal), a passive pointer (e.g. a finger, cylinder or other object) or other suitable input device such as for example, a mouse or trackball, are well known. These interactive input systems include but are not limited to: touch systems comprising touch panels employing analog resistive or machine vision technology to register pointer input such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,448,263; 6,141,000; 6,337,681; 6,747,636; 6,803,906; 7,232,986; 7,236,162; 7,274,356; and 7,532,206, all assigned to SMART Technologies ULC of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, assignee of the subject application, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety; touch systems comprising touch panels employing electromagnetic, capacitive, acoustic or other technologies to register pointer input; tablet personal computers (PCs); laptop PCs; personal digital assistants (PDAs); and other handheld devices and other similar devices.
Above-incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 6,803,906 to Morrison et al. discloses a touch system that employs machine vision to detect pointer interaction with a touch surface on which a computer-generated image is presented. A rectangular bezel or frame surrounds the touch surface and supports digital imaging devices at its corners. The digital imaging devices have overlapping fields of view that encompass and look generally across the touch surface. The digital imaging devices acquire images looking across the touch surface from different vantages and generate image data. Image data acquired by the digital imaging devices is processed by on-board digital signal processors to determine if a pointer exists in the captured image data. When it is determined that a pointer exists in the captured image data, the digital signal processors convey pointer characteristic data to a master controller, which in turn processes the pointer characteristic data to determine the location of the pointer in (x,y) coordinates relative to the touch surface using triangulation. The pointer coordinates are conveyed to a computer executing one or more application programs. The computer uses the pointer coordinates to update the computer-generated image that is presented on the touch surface. Pointer contacts on the touch surface can therefore be recorded as writing or drawing or used to control execution of application programs executed by the computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,532,206 to Morrison et al. discloses a touch system and method that differentiates between passive pointers used to contact a touch surface so that pointer position data generated in response to a pointer contact with the touch surface can be processed in accordance with the type of pointer used to contact the touch surface. The touch system comprises a touch surface to be contacted by a passive pointer and at least one imaging device having a field of view looking generally across the touch surface. At least one processor communicates with the at least one imaging device and analyzes images acquired by the at least one imaging device to determine the type of pointer used to contact the touch surface and the location on the touch surface where pointer contact is made. The determined type of pointer and the location on the touch surface where the pointer contact is made are used by a computer to control execution of an application program executed by the computer.
In order to determine the type of pointer used to contact the touch surface, a curve of growth method is employed to differentiate between different pointers. During this method, a horizontal intensity profile (HIP) is formed by calculating a sum along each row of pixels in each acquired image thereby to produce a one-dimensional profile having a number of points equal to the row dimension of the acquired image. A curve of growth is then generated from the HIP by forming the cumulative sum from the HIP.
Many models of interactive boards sold by SMART Technologies ULC under the name SMART Board™ that employ machine vision technology to register pointer input have a tool tray mounted below the interactive board. The tool tray comprises slots or receptacles for holding pen tools and an eraser tool that can be used to interact with the touch surface of the interaction board. When a pen tool is removed from its receptacle in the tool tray, a sensor in the tool tray detects the removal of that pen tool allowing the interactive board to determine the particular pen tool that has been selected. Subsequently, when a pointer is used to contact the touch surface of the interactive board, software treats the pointer contact with the touch surface as digital ink input in the colour assigned to the selected pen tool, regardless of whether the contact is made using the selected pen tool, or another pointer such as a finger or other object. Similarly, when the eraser tool is removed from its receptacle in the tool tray, the software treats pointer contact with the touch surface as an erasing action, regardless of whether the contact is made using the selected eraser tool, or another pointer such as a finger or other object. Additionally, below the tool tray two buttons are provided. One of the buttons, when pressed, allows the user to use a pointer to execute typical “right click” mouse functions, such as copy, cut, paste, select all, and the like, while the other button, when pressed, displays an onscreen keyboard that allow users to use a pointer to interact with the keyboard to enter text, numbers, and the like. Although such existing tool trays are adequate, improvements are desired.
It is therefore an object of the present invention at least to provide a novel interactive input system and a tool tray therefor.